# Facial wash vs. cleanser



## lily88 (Mar 20, 2010)

hi all....what is the difference between a facial wash and a facial cleanser? i tried searching but couldn't get a definite answer....


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## Minka (Mar 20, 2010)

I don't think there's a difference.

I've noticed that the majority of products i've used that are marketed as "Washes" are more likely to be foamy and not as heavily marketed as acne clearing (even though most of them claim to HELP clear up acne, they weren't as heavily marketed for that purpose they were for being inexpensive, and gentle).

Example:







Phisoderm Foaming Facial Cleanser

Most of the cleansers i've used were typically gel (like purifying/clarifying gel cleansers) or creams. The Cleansers were more marketed for deep-cleaning and had a large variety of different benefits depending on the product chosen.

Example:






Marketed as a cream, and also a cleanser, it's targeted at people with Normal to Dry skin so it's a little more "customized" than the Foaming Facial Wash.

There's not always a difference. A lot of times, it's just marketing.

Cleansers were more expensive, more common in stores, more likely to make a difference in my complexion, and were more common to find in all-natural or organic sections.

Washes were less expensive, more irritating, more likely to last longer compared to cleansers, less common in stores and less likely to make a difference in my complexion.


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## HairEgo (Mar 21, 2010)

I think its just worded differently....think shampoo...some brands call it shampoo while others call it cleanser...at the end of the day they do the same thing.


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## magosienne (Mar 21, 2010)

I agree, wash and clean both mean the same thing, i've noticed too wash is more used for acne face cleansers.


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